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DIGITAL

VORTEX 2019
Continuous and Connected Change

Authors
Tomoko Yokoi
Jialu Shan
Michael Wade
James Macaulay

Digital Vortex 2019 1


TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Key Insights 3
Introducing the Digital Vortex 2019 4
The Digital Transformation Gap 5
Continuous Change is Accelerating 6
Business reinvention in the center of the vortex 7
Appetite for Media & Entertainment 8
Convergence in Telecommunications 8
Competitive strategies in the outer vortex 9
The “Amazon-Effect” in Transport and Logistics 11
Customer focus in Hospitality and Tourism 11
Connected Nature of Change 12
A fragmented approach 13
Entangled structures 13
Mind the gap 14

The Road Ahead 14

Digital Vortex 2019 2


KEY INSIGHTS
- Digital disruption is in full swing, with over 88% of respondents reporting that digital disruption
will have a major or transformative impact on their industries.

- There is a widespread belief that more than one-third of the top 10 incumbents in each industry
will be displaced by digital disruption in the next five years.

- The five industries most vulnerable to digital disruption remain unchanged since 2015, although
their relative positions have changed: Media & Entertainment, Technology Products & Services,
Telecommunications, Retail, and Financial Services.

- The Transportation & Logistics industry has experienced the largest jump in vulnerability to
digital disruption, moving from 11th to 7th place.

- While the number of companies claiming to have a digital strategy has jumped from 54% to 75%,
the majority acknowledge that it is fragmented; only 22% of survey respondents claim to have a
coordinated digital strategy.

- Just over one-third of respondents feel that their organization’s leadership is actively responding
to digital disruption.

- Most organizations have increased their efforts to actively respond to digital disruption, except
for very large multinational companies.

- A stark perception gap exists between senior leadership and lower-level managers regarding
digital transformation efforts – whereas 39% of C-level leaders believe they are actively
responding to digital disruption, this perception decreases significantly among mid-management
levels.

Digital Vortex 2019 3


INTRODUCING
THE DIGITAL VORTEX 2019
The Digital Vortex 2019 study reveals large diffe- The Digital Vortex 2019 study confirms that
rences among industries in vulnerability to digi- all 14 industries have moved closer to the center
tal disruption. Like a vortex in nature, the Digital of the vortex, where the velocity and magnitude
Vortex illustrates the power, speed and unpre- of change are highest. The positions of many
dictability of change linked to digital disruption. industries have shifted between 2017 and 2019
(see Figure 1).1
This study is the third in a series of biennial
studies launched in 2015 by the Global Center
for Digital Business Transformation (DBT Cen-
ter), an IMD and Cisco initiative. The opinions
of over 1,200 business leaders across the globe
were collected from January 2017 to March 2019
to better understand attitudes and behaviors
towards digital disruption. These opinions were
supplemented with data from public sources.

FIGURE 1: DIGITAL VORTEX INDUSTRY RANKING

2019 RANKING 2017


Media & Entertainment 1 Media & Entertainment
Technology Products & Services 2 Technology Products & Services
+2
Telecommunications 3 Retail
-1
Retail 4 Financial Services
-1

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019


Financial Services 5 Telecommunications
+3
Hospitality & Tourism 6 Consumer Packaging Goods
+4
Transportation & Logistics 7 Education 
-1
Education  8 Professional Services
-1
Professional Services 9 Hospitality & Tourism
-4
Consumer Packaging Goods 10 Manufacturing
+2
Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals 11 Transportation & Logistics
-2
Manufacturing 12 Real Estate
+1
Energy & Utilities 13 Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
-2
Real Estate & Construction 14 Energy & Utilities

Digital Vortex 2019 4


THE DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION GAP
Digital disruption has grown to become a major force transformative impact on their industries, compared
across industries. Our data reveals that 88% of execu- with only 27% in 2015 (see Figure 2).
tives believe that digital disruption will have a major or

FIGURE 2: A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL DISRUPTION


How significant will the impact of digital disruption be on your organization?

2019
88% 9% 3%

2017
75% 21% 4%

2015
27% 47% 26%
Major to transformative impact Moderate impact No to minor impact

In addition, digitally driven market change has cap- claim their leaders are actively responding to digital
tured the attention of C-level executives. In 2015, digi- disruption, a slight rise from 31% in 2017. Moreover,
tal disruption was not deemed worthy of board-level despite the fact that organizations will spend over
attention in about 45% of companies. By 2019, only $2 trillion on digital transformation by 2022,2 most
12.4% felt that way. respondents believe that their leaders are not re-
sponding appropriately (38%) or are taking a “follow-
Although the perceived urgency to transform has er” approach (28%) to digital disruption (see Figure 3).
never been greater, the ability of companies to re-
spond varies significantly. Only 34% of respondents

FIGURE 3: A SMALL CHANGE IN ATTITUDES TOWARDS DIGITAL DISRUPTION


The majority of my company’s leaders...

Do not recognize or are not responding appropriately

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019


38%
2019
41%
2017
Are taking a “follower” approach
28%
2019
29%
2017
Are actively responding to digital disruption

2019 34%
2017 31%

This should not come as a surprise. When it comes data suggests that digital transformation programs
to digital transformation, the gap between aspira- are floundering largely because they fail to take into
tion and reality is stark. Recent research suggests account the continuous and connected nature of
that a mere 5% of digital transformation efforts meet change.
or exceed expectations.3 What is going wrong? Our

Digital Vortex 2019 5


CONTINUOUS CHANGE
IS ACCELERATING
All too often, executives see transformation in terms will be displaced by digital disruption in the next five
of a momentary revolution or as a challenge to be years. In the past five years alone, iconic incumbents
overcome. Like a caterpillar, the organization under- such as Dell Computer, Safeway and DuPont are no
goes a metamorphosis and, after a good deal of ef- longer part of the S&P 500 and have been replaced by
fort, emerges as a butterfly. The reality, however, is Facebook, Under Armor and Gartner, Inc. Companies
that digital disruption and transformation are not sin- drop off the S&P 500 for a variety of reasons. They
gular events. They are perpetual and continuous cy- can be overtaken by a faster-growing company, fall
cles, which are accelerating in speed and complexity. below the market cap size threshold or enter into a
merger or acquisition. In the current environment, it
The Digital Vortex 2019 study reveals that exec- is estimated that nearly 50% of the S&P 500 will be
utives recognize the disruptive nature of change. As replaced over the next 10 years.4
Figure 4 illustrates, executives believe that more than
one-third of the top 10 incumbents in their industry

FIGURE 4: A LARGE VARIANCE IN FUTURE DISRUPTION BY INDUSTRY

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019


In your industry, how many companies will lose their place in the top 10
due to digital disruption over the next five years?

Healthcare &
Manufacturing Pharmaceuticals

Transportation & Professional Technology Products & Media &


Logistics Services Services Entertainment
Financial
Services

Fewer companies average More companies


at risk 2.7 3.5 5.5 at risk

Energy & Hospitality & Consumer Education Retail Telecommunications


Utilities Tourism Packaged Goods

Real Estate &


Construction

While corporate turnover serves as one barome- bulence. The recent and predicted displacement of
ter for industry change, the increasing emergence of incumbents serves as a reminder that companies
highly valued disruptive startups and intense merger cannot endure in the long term without reinventing
and acquisition activity will accelerate industry tur- themselves.

Digital Vortex 2019 6


Business reinvention in the center of the vortex
As companies move closer to the center of the cations, Retail, and Financial Services (see Figure 5).
Digital Vortex, the need for business reinvention will Not only are their core products and services being
accelerate. Indeed, 41% of executives acknowledge digitized but they are also facing increasing pressure
that their organizations will be forced to reinvent from new entrants.
themselves every 1-3 years due to competitive pres-
sures, and 23% are prepared to do it every year.5 The two industries in which incumbent churn is
predicted to be the highest are Media & Entertain-
The pressure to reinvent is particularly acute for ment, and Telecommunications. How can companies
companies operating in the five industries closest to operating in these industries respond effectively?
the center of the Digital Vortex: Media & Entertain-
ment, Technology Products & Services, Telecommuni-

FIGURE 5: SMALL CHANGES AT THE CENTER OF THE DIGITAL VORTEX

2019
ONSUMER PAC
#10 C KAG
ED
GO

#1
OD
ES
#1

4R
TI

#7 T
4E

ILI

EA
R AN
UT
NE

LE
SP
SM
&
RG

STA
RI
RGY

OR
Y&

UNICATIO
OMM

TE &
OU

TA
EC NS
E

TIO
UTIL

&T

EL
#13 EN

EN

A R M A C E U T I CA L S
IA & TE

CONST
RT
#4

N&
T
#6 HOSPITALITY

ED
#3
ITIES

R
AI
#1 M

ETAI

LOGISTICS
NM

RUCTION
ENT

L
#2

S
CE

& PH
T
#9 P

H
EC

VI

PR ER
O D U CT S & S
RE
ROF

CA

S
ES

#5 ICE
H

FI N A N CIA L S ERV
SI

LT

ON
ON

AL
EA

SE TI
CA
H

RV U
11

IC E #8 ED #
S
#1
2M
ANU
FACT
URI NG

2017
LS
CA MANUFACTURING
UTI #10
E
AC
M

#1
AR

4E

S #7
PH

OD E
NE

GO DU
&

#4 FIN
RG

ED
RE

A NC
CA

Y&
AG

IA
HCA

S
TIO

S TIC
CK

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019

L
UTIL

AI
N
L
PA
T

IA & ENTER
SE
#13 HEAL

ED
ET

TATION & LOGI


#6 CONSUMER

RV

ITIES

M
#3 R

TA

ICES
#1

INM
ENT
ES
VIC
#9 HO

SPOR
ES
#2

ER

TE S
VIC

CH &
P R O D U CT S
S PI

RAN
ER

ON
S

LS
TA

I
1T

AT
L

#5 T
NA

IC
IT

#1

EL ECOM MUN
Y

IO

TO S
ES
&

U F
RI
SM P RO
#8
#1
2R
EA
L ES
TATE

Digital Vortex 2019 7


2017 #1
2019 #1 0
Appetite for Media & Entertainment
The Media & Entertainment industry continues to Meanwhile, the growing adoption of new tech-
be the most vulnerable to digital disruption, given nologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), enables
fast-evolving consumer behaviors and attitudes. To- new entrants to build innovative products. TikTok,
day’s audiences have drastically changed how they the China-based media app for creating and sharing
consume content. They are abandoning so-called short videos, has snowballed in popularity over the
legacy media for digital, streaming and mobile con- world in just two and a half years. Its parent compa-
tent. And a number of digital media players, such as ny, ByteDance, which operates several AI-enabled
Amazon, Netflix, Apple, Google and Hulu, are rising content platforms has become one of today’s most
to meet the challenge. valuable startups.6

Disney’s recent announcement of a new stream-


ing service, Disney+, reveals how legacy incumbents
are responding. Although Disney is a relative late-
comer to the direct-to-consumer video streaming
market, the company could be well positioned to
succeed given its rich catalogue of diverse content,
strong brand and global customer base. However,
the battle to dominate the streaming space is likely
to be fierce.

2017 #5
2019 #3 +2
Convergence in Telecommunications
The Telecommunications industry continues to face and new business models. Many telecommunica-
challenges, moving two places closer to the vortex tions providers are starting to experiment with new
center. Although the industry plays a crucial role in en- cross-industry service creation and delivery models.
abling the digital revolution by providing essential infra- For example, Orange, the largest telecom operator
structure, operators have struggled to launch and scale in France, acquired a 65% stake in French insurer
new business models to compete with new entrants Groupama’s banking unit in 2016 and launched a
with strong digital capabilities such as Apple, Google 100% mobile-only bank in 2017. Deutsche Telekom
and a variety of over-the-top (OTT) voice calling and collaborated with vertical industry partners to build
messaging providers such as WhatsApp and Skype. its Qivicom smart home platform as an open ecosys-
tem for living-service offerings.
Digital transformation is breaking down silos
within the Telecommunications industry, giving rise The deployment of fifth-generation wireless
to an integrated digital communications ecosystem. technology (5G) in the next two years is likely to un-
It is not yet clear how telecommunications operators leash a new wave of innovation and disruption fueled
can capture revenue opportunities “beyond the pipe” by advances in smart devices, augmented reality and
through the Internet of Things (IoT), digital services real-time monitoring.

Digital Vortex 2019 8


Competitive strategies at the outer vortex
Industries on the outer bands of the Digital Vortex the outer edges of the Digital Vortex. These industries
have a different set of issues to tackle (see Figure 7). must protect their existing sources of revenue and
As they move towards the vortex center, they need to profit. They may experiment with transformation, but
develop new competitive strategies. Many incum- too much focus on disruptive change may mean they
bents are saddled with cost structures and value risk neglecting the core.
chains inherited from an earlier era, leaving them
with an outdated arsenal to compete against today’s Offensive strategies are used to create new value
digital disruptors. for customers using digital technologies and busi-
ness models.7 These strategies – disrupt and occupy
Incumbents can respond to digital disruption using – should be high on the agendas of industries close
a “strategic response playbook” consisting of offen- to the center of the Digital Vortex. They will need to
sive and defensive strategies (see Figure 6). Defensive quickly reinvent themselves to compete in a rapidly
strategies are used to maximize gains from declining changing environment. All industries, however, will
businesses. A higher weighting on these strategies – need to find the correct balance between defensive
harvest and retreat – is appropriate for industries on and offensive strategies.

FIGURE 6: STRATEGIC RESPONSE PLAYBOOK

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019


HARVEST DISRUPT
Block disruptive Disrupt your
threats and maximize own core business
revenues from or create new
businesses under markets
attack

DEFENSE OFFENSE

RETREAT OCCUPY
Withdraw when Win the battle
revenues dry up, for new markets
or move into a created by
well-protected disruption
niche

Digital Vortex 2019 9


Two industries made the largest jump towards the vortex center between
2017 and 2019. Transportation & Logistics moved from 11th to 7th place,
and Hospitality & Tourism jumped from 9th to 6th. (See Figure 7).

FIGURE 7: LARGE CHANGES OUTSIDE THE CENTER OF THE DIGITAL VORTEX

2019
ONSUMER PAC
#10 C KAG
ED
GO

#1
OD

ES
#1

4R
TI
#7 T
4E

ILI

EA
R AN
UT
NE

LE
SP
SM
&
RG

STA
RI
RGY

OR
Y&

UNICATIO
OMM

TE &
OU

TA
EC NS
E

TIO
UTIL

&T
L
#13 EN

E EN

A R M A C E U T I CA L S
IA & TE

CONST
RT

#4

N&
T
#6 HOSPITALITY
ED

#3
ITIES

R
AI
#1 M

ETAI

LOGISTICS
NM

RUCTION
ENT

L
#2

S
CE

& PH
T
#9 P

H
EC

VI
PR ER
O D U CT S & S

RE
R
OF

CA
S
ES

#5 ICE

H
FI N A N CIA L S ERV
SI

LT
ON
ON

AL

EA
I
SE AT

H
RV C
DU

11
IC E #8 E #
S
#1
2M
ANU
FACT
URI NG

2017 LS
CA MANUFACTURING
UTI #10
E
AC
M

#1
AR

4E

S #7
PH

OD E
NE

GO DU
&

#4 FIN
RG

ED
RE

A NC
CA

Y&
AG

IA
HCA

S
TIO

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019


TIC
CK

L
UTIL

AI
N
L
PA
T

IA & ENTER
SE

TATION & LOGIS


#13 HEAL

ED
ET
#6 CONSUMER

RV

ITIES

M
#3 R

TA

ICES
#1

INM
ENT
ES
VIC
#9 HO

SPOR
ES
#2

ER

TE S
VIC

CH &
P R O D U CT S
S PI

RAN
ER

ON
S

LS
TA

TI
1T
L

#5 T CA
NA

U NI
IT

#1

EL ECOM M
Y

IO

TO S
ES
&

U RI OF
SM R
# 8P
#1
2R
EA
L ES
TATE

Digital Vortex 2019 10


2017 #11
2019 #7 +4
The “Amazon effect” in Transport & Logistics
Technology and digitization are disrupting many while making investments in the fast growing e-com-
processes across the transportation and logistics merce logistics business.
ecosystem, including shipment methods, supporting
services and cargo management. This is driven, in part, These strategies are particularly far-sighted for
by the “Amazon effect,” or the promise of low-cost, Singapore Post, which is heavily impacted by demo-
two-day or same-day shipping. graphic shifts of urban dwellers. By 2030, the United
Nations predicts that there will be 41 megacities with
According to recent studies, transport and logis- populations of more than 10 million people, of which
tics companies that have been able to flexibly allocate Singapore is one.9
resources are more successful in generating a higher
total return to shareholders.8 For example, in a largely Technological innovation in the last-mile delivery
asset intensive business environment, Singapore Post market of megacities using drones and the accelera-
has been undertaking a restructuring program, cut- tion of robotic process automation are likely to gain
ting costs in its high-margin domestic mail business ground.

2017 #9
2019 #6 +3
Customer focus in Hospitality & Tourism
The Hospitality & Tourism industry accounts for 10% of develop a strong focus on the customer, and innovate
employment worldwide and is a fast-growing industry ways to streamline the customer experience. As part
tied directly to the growth of consumption globally. New of its digital plan, flexible new internal working struc-
business models such as alternative accommodation tures were created to foster innovation, flexibility and
(Airbnb, HouseTrip and HotelTonight) are challenging speed. “Accor is in the middle of a revolution […],” ac-
the conventional hospitality approach and forcing in- knowledges Sébastien Bazin, the CEO. “For 50 years,
cumbents to look for innovative ways to increase reve- we have been doing things very well, but from now on-
nue, lower costs and raise customer loyalty. wards, we are going to do things differently.”10

AccorHotels is an example of an incumbent un- As the Hospitality & Tourism industry continues
dertaking an offensive strategy by launching Jo&Joe, a its trajectory towards the center of the Digital Vortex,
lifestyle brand blending the best of private rental, hos- building and deploying digital capabilities will be critical
tel and hotel formats. The concept grew out of an am- to its success.
bitious digital transformation strategy to revamp IT,

Digital Vortex 2019 11


CONNECTED NATURE
OF CHANGE
Are companies feeling positive about their future in their ability to respond effectively to digital disrup-
the Digital Vortex? tion. This concern corresponds with their industry’s
increased acceleration towards the vortex center (see
While the majority of executives feel confident in Figure 8). The Media & Entertainment and Financial
their company’s ability to leverage digital disruption Services industries – both already close to the center
in their favour, there are three industries that stand of the vortex – express a high level of concern but also
out as being more concerned about disruption: Hos- feel confident that they can respond effectively. Nota-
pitality & Tourism, Media & Entertainment, and Fi- bly, the highest degree of confidence is observed in the
nancial Services. Executives working in the Hospitality Telecommunications and Energy & Utilities industries.
& Tourism industry, in particular, lack confidence in

FIGURE 8: MOST INDUSTRIES ARE MORE CONFIDENT THAN CONCERNED

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019


Concern Confidence
80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%
sm

es

ng

il

ns

es

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es
en

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Overall, despite the majority of executives’ confidence mation activities that could undermine an organiza-
in responding effectively to digital disruption, there tion’s ability to transform effectively.
are some blind spots surrounding current transfor-

Digital Vortex 2019 12


A fragmented approach
While the number of companies claiming to have a strategy is fragmented. In fact, only 22% of executives
digital strategy jumped from 54% in 2017 to 75% in claim that they have a coordinated digital strategy
2019, most respondents acknowledge that their digital (see Figure 9).

FIGURE 9: MOST DIGITAL STRATEGIES ARE FRAGMENTED


Do you have a digital strategy?

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019


2019
Yes, coordinated
22% 25%
Yes, but fragmented
53% No

Most organizations are pursuing digital initiatives Ibrahim Gokcen, former CDO of Danish industrial
across multiple areas at the same time. Unfortu- conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk described it this
nately, few of them are taking a portfolio approach way, “A lot of companies think they are doing digital
linked to clear business outcomes. Most digital ini- transformation, but they are actually only doing basic
tiatives are incremental in scope, linked to process digitization or digital ‘optimization’ without address-
improvements in specific departments and functions. ing fundamental problems.”11

Entangled structures
A major challenge that large incumbents face is that These challenges tend to increase with organi-
initiatives, processes and structures are highly inter- zational size, as do the risks of failure. While most
dependent, constantly moving and optimized for an respondents observe an increase in active response
earlier era. This complex entanglement often leads to to digital disruption, very large organizations – those
unintended consequences that can derail transforma- with over $10 billion in annual worldwide revenues –
tion programs. As one executive put it, “You wouldn’t observe a decline (see Figure 10).
think that making a simple change, pulling this lever
here, would make ten other things explode.”

FIGURE 10: ACTIVE RESPONSES TO DIGITAL DISRUPTION ARE INCREASING,


EXCEPT IN VERY LARGE ORGANIZATIONS
Proportion of executives claiming that their organizations are actively responding to digital disruption

40% 36%
34% 35% 2019
31% 2017
30% 28%
26%

20%

10%

0%
Small-Medium Large Multi National Corporation
$0-$500M $500M-$10BN $10BN+

Digital Vortex 2019 13


Mind the gap
Digital transformation programs can lead to high levels who report to them in terms of their company’s cur-
of confusion and uncertainty. The lack of both a clear rent digital transformation efforts. Whereas 39% of
vision and a shared narrative to describe a company’s C-level leaders believe they are actively responding to
transformation hinders execution efforts. Having all digital disruption, this perception is not shared among
stakeholders, from executive leadership to business lower levels of the organization. Only 30% of managers
partners and employees, on the same page is crucial to and senior managers feel the same way. The percent-
develop a foundation on which change can occur. age of employees who claim they do not even know
about their company’s digital response grew progres-
The Digital Vortex 2019 data reveals a stark per- sively further down the organization (see Figure 11).
ception gap between senior leaders and the managers

FIGURE 11: LOWER LEVEL EXECUTIVES ARE LESS CONFIDENT THAN SENIOR EXECUTIVES
Proportion of executives claiming that their organizations are actively responding to digital disruption

39%
40% 37%

Source: Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 2019


33%
30%
30%

20%

10%

0%
CXO SVP/VP Director Manager

THE ROAD AHEAD


As the level of digitization increases in the Digital Vor- Companies are under tremendous pressure to
tex, industry boundaries are blurring and companies pursue organizational change. Even though change is
are being forced to reinvent themselves. Few remain implemented for positive reasons, employees often
on the sidelines today, and digital transformation is respond negatively and resist change efforts. The
being mirrored by organizational transformation. Re- study uncovers a stark perception gap between senior
cent research on US companies with over $1 billion leaders and managers regarding their company’s
in revenues showed that those with digitally savvy current digital transformation efforts. This perception
boards outperformed their peers on key metrics such gap could signify a lack of trust, discrepancy in en-
as revenue growth, return on assets and market cap gagement and/or differing perceptions of organiza-
growth.12 tional readiness for change.

The Digital Vortex 2019 study also reveals a gap Few companies have succeeded in transforming
between aspiration and reality that could derail com- themselves to lead their industries in the digital age.
panies’ digital transformation efforts. But those that have done so understand that a suc-
cessful digital transformation is a continuous journey
focused on a connected approach to change.

Digital Vortex 2019 14


ABOUT THIS STUDY
The Global Center for Digital Business Transforma- The ranking is based on a composite of four measures,
tion, an IMD and Cisco initiative, surveyed 1,200 by industry:
business leaders in 58 countries across 14 indus- 1. Investment: Where venture capitalists and others
tries to understand attitudes and behaviors towards are putting their money;
digital disruption. 63% of respondents are company 2. Timing: When, and at what rate, digital disruption
directors and above. Half of all respondents work in is likely to occur;
the B2B sector. This data was supplemented by 3. Means: The strength of barriers to entry for digital
third-party data sources from CB Insights and disruptors;
Bloomberg. 4. Impact: The potential magnitude of disruption.

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Accelerating. Innosight, February 2018. www.innosight.com/wp-content/ 10
Jelassi, Tawfik and Valerie Keller-Birrer. “In the Field with Accor Hotels.” IMD,
uploads/2017/11/Innosight-Corporate-Longevity-2018.pdf November 2017.
5
Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, Orchestrating Digital 11
Wade, Michael, James Macaulay, Andy Noronha and Joel Barbier.
Survey 2019 (unpublished research). Orchestrating Transformation: How to Deliver Winning Performance with a
Connected Approach to Change. Lausanne: IMD International, 2019
6
Feng, Venus. “World’s Most Valuable Startup Is Home to a Complex Fortune.”
Bloomberg, March 24, 2019. www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-24/ 12
Weill, Peter, Thomas Appel, Stephanie L. Woerner and Jennifer S. Banner,
the-complex-fortune-growing-inside-world-s-most-valuable-startup “It Pays to Have a Digitally Savvy Board.” MIT Sloan Management Review,
Spring 2019. https:sloanreview.mit.edu/article/it-pays-to-have-a-digitally-
savvy-board/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Remy Assir
Nikolaus Obwegeser
Lindsay McTeague
Elizabeth Teracino
Andy Noronha
Joel Barbier

Digital Vortex 2019 15


The Global Center for Digital Business Transformation
(DBT Center) is a joint initiative of the IMD Business
School and Cisco that brings to­gether innovation and
learning for the digital era. The DBT Center is a global
research hub at the forefront of digital business
transformation, where executives engage to solve
the challenges created by massive market transitions.
The DBT Center seeks out diverse viewpoints
from a wide range of organizations – startups and
incumbents – to bring new ideas, best practices, and
disruptive thinking into the process. The collaboration
combines Cisco’s technology leadership with IMD’s
ex­pertise in applied research and developing global
leaders, focusing on the organizational change required
for digital transformation. The DBT Center is physically
located on IMD’s campus in Lausanne, Swit­zerland.

Learn more:
imd.org/dbtcenter
dbtcenter@imd.org
@DBT_Center

REAL LEARNING. REAL IMPACT

IMD is an independent business school with Swiss roots


and global reach. Focused on developing leaders and
transforming organizations, IMD designs and delivers
interventions that challenge what is and inspire what
could be.

For the last 7 consecutive years, IMD has been ranked


#1 in the world for Open executive programs and in
the top three overall for executive education (Financial
Times 2012-2018).

IMD is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and Singapore.

www.imd.org
@IMD_Bschool

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is a worldwide leader in IT that


helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow
by proving that amazing things can happen when you
connect the previously unconnected. Cisco is head-
quartered in San Jose, California, and has over 70,000
employees and more than 400 office globally.

www.cisco.com
@Cisco

© 2019 IMD International Institute for Management Development. All rights reserved.

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